Ellen Puré Joins Penn Vet as Chair of the Department of Animal Biology

By Ashley Berke
Published: Jul 16, 2013

[July 16, 2013; Philadelphia, PA] – The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) announces the appointment of Ellen Puré, PhD, as Chair of the Department of Animal Biology.

As Chair, Dr. Puré will lead the department in performing pioneering, translational research; oversee the training of veterinary students; and participate in undergraduate and graduate training programs at Penn Vet.

Prior to joining Penn Vet, Dr. Puré served as Professor of Cellular and Molecular Oncogenesis at The Wistar Institute and as Wistar Professor of Medicine, Microbiology, and Pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.

The Puré Laboratory at The Wistar Institute studies the molecular and cellular mechanisms of inflammation and fibrosis, which play significant roles in a wide array of diseases, including atherosclerosis, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, pulmonary fibrosis, and cancer.

Dr. Puré first joined The Wistar Institute in 1992 as an associate professor, arriving from the Rockefeller University, where she was an assistant professor from 1984 to 1992 and assistant dean from 1988 to 1990. She received her bachelor’s degree from Washington University and a PhD in immunology from the University of Texas-Southwestern Medical School.

“Dr. Puré’s expertise, her enthusiasm about forging connections across disciplines and departments, and her internationally recognized research credentials make her a perfect fit for Penn Vet,” said Joan C. Hendricks, VMD, PhD, the Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “We look forward to watching the Department of Animal Biology thrive under her leadership.”

Penn Vet’s Department of Animal Biology is recognized as one of the foremost basic science departments in veterinary medicine. The department is home to 24 faculty members whose research interests fall within the fields of cancer biology, development, stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, neuroscience, metabolism and endocrinology, and the biochemical basis of disease. Penn Vet’s unique proximity to world-class academic veterinary and medical hospitals provides ample opportunity for collaboration, resulting in cutting-edge basic and comparative translational research to advance both animal and human medicine.

Timeline PhotosThe First Tuesday Lecture has been RESCHEDULED for Tuesday, March 24, at 6:30 pm in Alumni Hall, due to the weather. Dr. Emilie Setlakwe will describe a “typical” day in the life of a veterinarian in New Bolton Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during her talk “Tales from the NICU.”

Timeline PhotosThe First Tuesday Lecture has been RESCHEDULED for Tuesday, March 24, at 6:30 pm in Alumni Hall, due to the weather. Dr. Emilie Setlakwe will describe a “typical” day in the life of a veterinarian in New Bolton Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during her talk “Tales from the NICU.”

In recognition of National Kidney Month in March, Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital reminds pet owners that animals can suffer from a range of kidney ailments, including kidney failure, toxicity, and infection.

Timeline PhotosIt's National Pig Day! Pictured is Dr. Ines Rodriguez, staff veterinarian at New Bolton Center's Swine Teaching and Research Unit, with two of our new piglets. Learn more: http://www.vet.upenn.edu/about/campuses/new-bolton-center-campus/centers-laboratories/research-laboratory/swine-teaching-and-research-unit

February 28 is Rare Disease Day, to raise awareness with policy makers and the public of rare diseases and their impact on the lives of patients.

Penn Vet researcher Dr. Charles Vite and his team have developed a treatment for Niemann Pick Disease type C, sometimes referred to as “childhood Alzheimer’s” because of the progressive mental and physical decline seen in the children it afflicts.

3-D printing helps get local dog back on all fourswww.local8now.comFor millions of Americans - getting a knee brace or a prosthetic limb is part of life; but it may surprise you to know that new technology is making it possible for our cats and dogs to get new paws.

Penn Vet is currently recruiting dogs for a clinical trial evaluating the role of the intestinal microbiome in dogs with chronic gastrointestinal problems.

Dogs with chronic symptoms such as diarrhea and/or vomiting may be eligible. All initial diagnostics and standard-of-care treatment during the study period (2 to 8 weeks) are included free of charge.

Timeline PhotosDr. Thomas Parsons and Penn Vet's Swine Teaching and Research Center are featured in a two-part NBC-TV story by investigative reporter Bob Segall in Indianapolis about sow housing. http://www.wthr.com/story/28182789/gestation-crate-controversy-indiana-pig-farmers-face-growing-pressure
Pig producers are coming under increasing pressure to change the industry's standard gestation crates. The "Penn gestation" loose-housing model created and researched at New Bolton Center is an alternative being adopted by farmers across the nation.

Only 2 working spots left for the Principals of K9 Learning Workshop! Register now to reserve your spot!

Timeline PhotosPlease join us next Tuesday, March 3, at 6:30 pm for the First Tuesday Lecture by Dr. Emilie Setlakwe, who will describe a “typical” day in the life of a veterinarian in New Bolton Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during her talk “Tales from the NICU.”
http://www.vet.upenn.edu/about/news-and-events/press-releases/article/new-bolton-center-first-tuesday-lecture-march-3-tales-from-the-nicu

The renovations of the Ryan Hospital lobby are coming along wonderfully. They put up a new sign! And we have sliding doors!

Timeline PhotosAssociate Dean Dr. Corinne Sweeney describes the history and the importance of New Bolton Center's unique “pool recovery” system, designed for horses to awake safely from anesthesia. Dedicated 40 years ago, the pool system, created at New Bolton Center, was the first-of-its-kind, a critical innovation in veterinary surgery. Today, the updated recovery pool continues to be an integral tool used by our equine orthopedic surgeons for patients with leg fractures. Read the New Bolton Post story: http://www.vet.upenn.edu/about/news-and-events/publications/new-bolton-post/winter-2015/pool-recovery-story

Penn Vet is offering the he Veterinary Exploration Through Science (VETS) program this summer for both college and high school students (11th and 12th graders). This is a day program of one week sessions. The program has been created for students who are interested in the science of veterinary medicine.

Timeline PhotosHappy Chinese New Year in this Year of the Goat! We love goats at New Bolton Center. Many of the patients in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are mama goats and their kids. Learn more about our NICU: http://www.vet.upenn.edu/veterinary-hospitals/NBC-hospital/services/neonatal-intensive-care

Should pets be allowed on Amtrak trains?

Lawmakers want Amtrak to allow small pets on trains, and the idea is gaining support.

Dr. James Serpell was a guest on Science Friday to talk about dog behavior generalizations. Dr. Serpell created his C-BARQ assessment tool to see whether those generalizations were really true. While he found some common traits among breeds, he also found some variation that might be caused by the behavior of human owners.

This two-day old Chihuahua pup is being cared for in Ryan Hospital's Emergency Service. One of our residents is feeding her every two hours!

Why Your Dog's Paws Smell Like Corn Chipsvetmedicine.about.comWhat should you do if you notice that your dog's feet have an odor, often described as smelling like corn chips or old popcorn? Read this FAQ to find out more about what is commonly termed

Dr. Brittany Watson and Penn Vet students held cardiology lessons for Netter Center Pipeline students from Sayre High School. They learned basic CPR, listened to a heart murmur and compared circulatory systems from various species.

Not only is today Valentine’s Day, but it is also National Donor Day, which focuses on five points of life: organs, tissue, marrow, platelets, and blood. Penn Vet has two donor programs that are important to saving pets’ lives, one of which is our blood donor program.

Blood transfusions can be critical, life-saving procedures. Blood loss through trauma or toxins can quickly lead to severe anemia and possibly death, an outcome that can be averted through the administration of blood transfusions. The Penn Animal Blood Bank manages a large volunteer blood donor program to meet the transfusion needs of the patients at Ryan Hospital.

Not only is today Valentine’s Day, but it is also National Donor Day, which focuses on five points of life: organs, tissue, marrow, platelets, and blood. Penn Vet has two donor programs that are important to saving pets’ lives, one of which is our kidney transplant program.

The Feline Renal Transplantation Program at Penn Vet was initiated in 1998 by Dr. Lillian R Aronson. She has since performed about 150 kidney transplants. Kidney transplantation is a treatment option for renal failure and the goal is to provide a good quality of life for a cat that would otherwise be unable to survive.